21:00 Kempton

Wednesday 9 August 2023

All18:0018:3019:0019:3020:0020:3021:00

Unibet More Extra Place Races Handicap

Off time: 21:01 | Winning time: 3m 39.65s

(4)

Pons Aelius⁵⁹

Age: 4| Weight: 10-4| J: W Buick| T: C Johnston| OR: 82| CD

2/1

Successful 4 times during a busy 2022, culminating in success in London Stayers' Final over C&D in December. As good as ever when also winning 7-runner handicap (5/2) at Goodwood (16f, good to firm) 59 days ago. Consistent sort should give another good account from 3 lb higher mark.

Form: 835221

(1)

Sea Stone^t²⁶

Age: 4| Weight: 10-1| J: Owen Lewis⁽⁷⁾| T: I Mohammed| OR: 79| C

15/2

Course winner. 10/1, not seen to best effect when last of 10 in handicap at York (11.8f, good to soft) on UK return 26 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Tongue strap back on. Needs a couple of these to falter.

Form: 13-4280

(5)

Smart Champion^h¹⁴⁷

Age: 8| Weight: 9-13| J: Daniel Muscutt| T: D M Simcock| OR: 77| CD

20/1

C&D winner. Second at Lingfield (5 lengths behind Bashful Boy) in February but has ran below form here both starts since. Becoming well handicapped but has 147-day absence to over come and regular slow starts are an issue.

Form: 556207

(6)

Sky Power²⁷

Age: 6| Weight: 9-8| J: K Shoemark| T: R Stephens| OR: 72

50/1

Pretty useful at his best for Ralph Beckett but went wrong way for that yard last season and failed to beat a rival on stable debut at Newbury (10f, good to firm) 27 days ago, missing break. Significantly up in trip.

Form: 09600-0

(8)

Fox Vision^h⁶¹

Age: 3| Weight: 9-0| J: David Egan| T: R Varian| OR: 77| BF

4/1

No worse than third in 4 starts in maidens/minor events (admittedly small fields last 2 outings) but disapponted when last of 4 on handicap debut at Haydock (10.2f, good to firm) 61 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Hood back on. Greater emphasis on stamina here could be a plus.

Form: 3-3224

(3)

Divya²²

Age: 3| Weight: 8-12| J: Tom Marquand| T: E Walker| OR: 75

5/2

Creditable fourth of 11 in minor event at Lingfield (12f, AW) 22 days ago. Significantly up in trip. Well exposed by now but should give her running on handicap debut.

Form: 383-324

(7)

Berkshire Sundance⁴⁶

Age: 3| Weight: 8-4| J: Hayley Turner| T: A M Balding| OR: 67

7/1

Thrice-raced maiden. 6/1, fourth of 6 in maiden at Haydock (11.6f, good to firm) 46 days ago. Appeals as the type to step forward in long-distance handicaps and is worth noting in the betting.

Form: 964

Non-Runners

(2)

Arcadian Friend¹

Weight: 9-11| Age: 4

T: Sir Mark Prescott J: L Morris

Forecasts

Pons Aelius (2/1), Divya (5/2), Arcadian Friend (5/2), Fox Vision (4/1), Berkshire Sundance (7/1), Sea Stone (15/2), Smart Champion (20/1), Sky Power (50/1)

ARCADIAN FRIEND was only beaten by a comparatively pacy rival when narrowly denied in a slowly-run event at Lingfield last time and Sir Mark Prescott's four-year-old looks a stayer to stay on the right side of, so would make plenty of appeal if coming here rather than his engagement at Chelmsford on Tuesday. The consistent Pons Aelius perhaps looks best placed to take advantage in the selection's absence, whilst Andrew Balding's handicap newcomer Berkshire Sundance also makes appeal.